HCI Press Releases

HCI Reveals Strategies for Empowering the HR and Business Partnership in New Talent Pulse Research

Latest Report Highlights the Best Practices for Creating a Successful HR Business Partner Model

Author: HCI |
Source: HCI |
Published: March 10, 2015

NEW YORK (March 10, 2015) – The Human Capital Institute (HCI), the global institution for strategic talent management, today announced the release of its latest Talent Pulse, a quarterly research eBook addressing the biggest trends and challenges of talent management. In its newest Talent Pulse report, “Empowering the HR and Business Partnership,” the organization explores the importance of creating a successful HR Business Partner model, in order to align HR with the rest of the business, streamline administrative processes, reduce costs and increase efficiency.

Today’s companies understand that the people they employ are their biggest differentiator. And with the current business climate characterized by factors including increased competition, globalization and a dynamic economy, the need for knowledgeable HR professionals who can drive strategic initiatives and create an optimal workplace is clear. As such, more organizations are uncovering the power of their HR departments and elevating the roles of their Human Resource Business Partners (HRBPs) – individuals who work closely with senior leaders to develop strategic HR operations that align with business goals and objectives.

In this cutting-edge research, HCI explores the current HRBP landscape. Topics addressed include how many organizations currently have the model in place, the biggest challenges in adopting the model and the most in-demand skills HRBPs need to drive improvement. Based on survey responses of over 300 HR professionals, interviews with HR leaders who have had success in their organizations with the HRBP model and numerous secondary sources, the report reveals the best practices for developing, empowering and raising the performance of HRBPs in the workplace.

Key findings from the research include:

A growing trend: Slightly more than half of organizations surveyed (55 percent) report having an HRBP model in place. Of those that do not, 43 percent are considering adopting one within the next five years.

The biggest obstacles: The greatest challenges organizations face in transforming their HR practices are a lack of information, preference for the traditional, transactional model and the size of the organization; larger companies are more likely to have HRBPs.

Hiring from the outside: Employers are twice as likely to fill HRBP positions externally, as they often struggle to find the needed skill sets (such as business acumen and consulting expertise) in their current HR employees.

Room for improvement: Of the companies that have an HRBP model in place, only 63 percent report success. This can be attributed to the majority of organizations adopting the model less than three years ago. The survey showed the biggest challenges facing HRBPs are too much administrative work and poor communication of expectations.

“As the needs of the workplace continue to evolve, and companies must contend with growing external factors, the Human Resources Business Partner model has been proven to help organizations overcome these challenges and ensure their talent strategy is in full alignment with overall business goals,” said Carl Rhodes, HCI’s chief executive officer. “Our latest Talent Pulse research explores this topic in depth, offering insightful advice to maximize the HRBP program, from getting initial buy-in to ensuring HRBPs have the required skills to transform HR.”

HCI will explore the HR business partnership in depth during its upcoming 2015 Human Capital Summit, taking place March 31 through April 2, 2015 in Orlando, Fla. The event, designed to highlight how strategic roles and the business partner model are changing the face of HR, will also feature presentations from the three HR leaders interviewed for the “Empowering the HR and Business Partnership” research: Marie-Claire Barker, global chief talent officer for MEC Global; Meredith Oakes, vice president of Learning and Performance for MVP Health Care; and Joanne Rencher, chief people officer for Girl Scouts of the USA.

About Human Capital Institute (HCI)

HCI seeks to educate, empower, and validate strategic talent management professionals to impact business results through the acquisition of insights, skills and tools that are contextualized through research, practice, expert guidance, peer learning, and self-discovery. Visit HCI.org to learn more.